Author: Michael Beckwith

A Tribute to Monty Oum

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted February 6th 2015)

Earlier this week on February 1st, infamous online animator Monty Oum tragically passed away. His death was sudden and shocking; even as I write this, I still find it hard to believe that he’s gone. I never met him but it’s clear that he touched a lot of people; the fact that even complete strangers on the Internet mourn his passing shows how much of an impact he left on his family, friends, co-workers, fans and anyone who was familiar with his work. I’ve been seeing a lot of tributes to him over the last few days (mostly artwork) so I thought that I should probably do something too. So, I hope you’ll all join me as I reminisce over some of Monty’s past work. And if you’ve never seen his stuff before, prepare to be surprised. Continue reading →

My VG Music Picks #5 – Alive Inside (The Walking Dead)

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted January 30th 2015)

The Walking Dead is one of the most miserable video game experiences I’ve ever had. It’s just so soul-crushingly depressing that you find yourself questioning your reasons for playing it. My guess is that, despite the constant hardships, there’s a small part of you that thinks everything will turn out okay. And I think this track sums that feeling up. Continue reading →

Remember Me – Cherished Memory or Totally Forgettable?

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted January 23rd 2015)

Remember_Me_(Capcom_game_-_cover_art)

Sometimes all it takes is an idea to get me to play a game. It could seem relatively minor but the very notion is enough to grab my interest. For Remember Me, it was the ability to enter a person’s memory and alter it. I can’t remember exactly where I heard about it but it made me want to give the game a go, despite its mixed reviews. Having now played it, though, is the game itself any good? Continue reading →

My VG Music Picks #4 – Pleasure Quarter (Gravity Rush)

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted January 16th 2015)

You spend quite a bit of time in the first area of Gravity Rush, so when the time comes to actually go to a new area, it comes as quite the surprise. As the train you ride on leaves, the music fades out and you’re met with silence. Soon, you spy your destination in the distance and as it gradually gets closer and closer, this theme kicks in and already you know what kind of place it is. Continue reading →

Do We Need Another Avatar Series?

/ Michael Beckwith / 1 Comment

(originally posted January 9th 2015)

(WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for The Legend of Korra)

Korra-next-to-statue

The Legend of Korra, the sequel series to the insanely popular Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender, came to a close back in December. Tears were undoubtedly shed, both from joy and from sadness. Battles had ended, ships had sailed and everything was wrapped up… rather ambiguously, in all honesty. The future of the Avatar series is seemingly unknown at this point; there is no confirmation or denial of a new show to carry things on. So, I wonder; do we need another show? … That’s a bit of a dumb question, isn’t it? The answer is a very loud ‘yes.’ Continue reading →

Ten Anticipated Games of 2015

/ Michael Beckwith / 2 Comments

(originally posted January 2nd 2015)

2014 was a mixed year for videogames. It was the year we got an HD Mario Kart, Layton VS Ace Attorney finally came to the West and we were graced with two Smash Bros titles. But it was also the year that gave us the mess that was Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, the disappointment that was Watch Dogs and the insult that was Assassin’s Creed: Unity.

But let’s not dwell on the past; let’s focus on the future because 2015 has got some great titles in the pipeline. So, here’s what I’m looking forward to what’s coming out this year, Continue reading →

My VG Music Picks #3 – Frosty Village (Diddy Kong Racing)

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted December 26th 2014)

It’s been years since I’ve played Diddy Kong Racing but whenever I try to think of music from it, this theme is one of the few that comes to mind. The Frosty Village racecourse wasn’t a particular favourite of mine; it was decent but definitely rather simple compared to some of the other courses. I think it’s the music, though, that helps make it stand out. Continue reading →

My Seven Favourite Super Smash Bros Newcomers

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted December 19th 2014)

Both of the new Super Smash Bros games are finally out and we could not be happier. The series is loved for a number of reasons, but probably the big one is seeing which characters get the honour of becoming playable and getting the opportunity to duke it out with Nintendo’s biggest stars. We all have our preferences, so here are my personal favourites of the fifteen newcomers from the latest games. Continue reading →

My VG Music Picks #2 – Seaside Hill (Sonic Heroes)

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted December 12th 2014)

Though Sonic Heroes is by no means one of my favourite Sonic games (in fact, it’s probably one of my most hated), it was the game that brought me into the series proper, even though I already had some experience with Sonic 2 (which I was terrible at). Looking back, the first level of the game didn’t really leave that much of an impact on me but now I’m older and more appreciative of music, I find myself absolutely loving it. Continue reading →

Watch Dogs – Why I No Longer Care

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted December 5th 2014)

Watch_Dogs_box_art

When Ubisoft’s new IP Watch Dogs was announced, I was originally not that interested, but that was more down to visual aesthetics than anything. I’m not a fan of ‘realistic’ looking games because they always seem to consist of nothing but greys and browns in terms of their colour palette. But upon seeing some actual trailers and learning what the game was about, I couldn’t help but start getting excited. Continue reading →